Hantavirus outbreak news: New case confirmed as 3 passengers evacuated from cruise ship, how dangerous is this virus and should you be worried?

A suspected Hantavirus outbreak aboard a Dutch-based cruise ship in the Atlantic has raised significant health concerns globally. Amidst this, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday warned of additional cases linked to the infection aboard the vessel MV Hondius.

Intensified monitoring efforts are underway to prevent any large-scale outbreak of Hantavirus, even as the global health body maintains that the overall public health risk is low. The outbreak occurred on the cruise ship carrying nearly 150 passengers and crew, which departed from Argentina for Cabo Verde on April 1. So far, eight cases have been identified, including three deaths, while three remain suspected. Out of these, five cases have been laboratory-confirmed.

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The outbreak involves Andes strain of Hantavirus

The outbreak became apparent after the vessel visited remote locations, including parts of Antarctica and the Atlantic islands of Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena. During a media briefing, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the infection involved the Andes virus, found mainly in Latin America. “Given the incubation period of the Andes virus, which can be up to six weeks, more cases may be reported,” he said.

New case confirmed as ship evacuates 3 passengers

On Wednesday, three passengers (two with acute symptoms and one possibly infected) were taken to specialised hospitals in Europe. The ship is now reportedly heading towards the Canary Islands after Spain agreed to receive it for a full epidemiological investigation and disinfection.

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What is Hantavirus? How does it spread?

Hantavirus typically spreads through exposure to infected rodents or their droppings, urine, or saliva. It is believed to be a rare strain of hantavirus primarily transmitted between humans in close-contact settings. Symptoms of the infection often begin like a severe flu: fatigue, fever, muscle aches, and headaches, but can quickly progress to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. It can later severely affect the lungs and can even become life-threatening. There is no specific treatment for Hantavirus as of now.

Here’s why you should be worried

The risk of the virus spreading among the general public remains extremely low. In fact, the outbreak seems contained to the specific group on the vessel, with no proof of community spread. However, the WHO has issued alerts to the 12 countries whose nationals disembarked from the Dutch-flagged cruise ship at Saint Helena, including the UK, the US, Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Turkey. For travellers or UK residents with no links to the ship, the chance of exposure remains negligible.

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Is Hantavirus a Covid-19-like pandemic?

Addressing a press briefing, Infectious disease epidemiologist Maria DeJoseph Van Kerkhove clarified, “This is not COVID, this is not influenza. It spreads very, very differently. So, there are different precautions that people are taking.”

What travellers must keep in mind?

For now, public health officials are urging awareness rather than alarm. Those travelling to rural or wilderness regions are advised to avoid contact with rodents, areas contaminated with animal droppings, and poorly ventilated storage spaces.

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